## Chapter 196: The Royal Prosecution Service Plan
The second-floor private room of the Almack Club was filled with the scent of cigars and the murmur of hushed conversations.
Lord Melbourne, a man known for his sharp wit and political maneuvering, was reviewing a document placed before him by his associate, William Brougham. The document’s title, boldly written, read: “Report on the Necessity of Establishing a Professional Prosecution Service in Scotland Yard.”
Beneath the title, a smaller line of text caught his eye: “Drafted by: Arthur Hastings.”
“What is this?” Lord Melbourne inquired, pointing at the report with a raised eyebrow.
Brougham, a seasoned politician with a sly smile, explained, “The same report is also filed with the Home Office. You’ll see it once the Prime Minister announces the new cabinet. This copy is a transcript sent from the Home Office to the Lord Chancellor’s office.”
“May I see it?” Lord Melbourne asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Of course,” Brougham replied, “That’s why I came here today. I wanted to discuss this matter with you.”
With Brougham’s permission, Lord Melbourne took the report and began to read.
The report detailed the problems plaguing the criminal justice system in London. Since the establishment of the Metropolitan Police in 1829, crime had been on the decline, but the increased effort in fighting crime had exposed a critical shortage of qualified prosecutors within the Metropolitan Police.
The report highlighted several issues:
* **Lack of Prosecution Expertise:** When victims were hesitant to press charges due to fear of retaliation, lack of time, or other reasons, the Home Office would often delegate the prosecution to the investigating officers. However, police officers lacked the necessary legal knowledge and experience, leading to inconsistent and often flawed prosecutions.
* **Limited Access to Legal Expertise:** While police officers could request legal advice from experts during investigations, this process was cumbersome and often ineffective.
* **Inadequate Support for Complex Cases:** In complex cases involving murder or assault with a weapon, expert assistance was crucial, forcing the Metropolitan Police to rely heavily on the Home Office to provide specialist lawyers. When the Home Office was unable to provide these lawyers, the police were forced to spend their budget on hiring private counsel.
* **Corruption and Inefficiency:** Police officers, burdened with performance pressure, would sometimes resort to bribing or manipulating evidence to ensure a successful prosecution, leading to unfair treatment of the accused.
* **Lack of Resources for Poor Defendants:** The lack of resources for investigating cases involving the poor often resulted in incomplete investigations and inaccurate evidence, ultimately harming the public interest.
The report concluded by stating that the need for a reformed prosecution system in London was urgent. It proposed five key recommendations:
Lord Melbourne, after carefully reading the report, set it down with a chuckle, “Arthur Hastings, the officer, truly is a young man who always brings surprises.”
Brougham, pouring himself a glass of wine, remarked, “He took a considerable risk with this report. He exposed the shortcomings of Scotland Yard, bypassing the Metropolitan Police and reporting directly. When I first saw this report, I doubted if he wanted to continue his career in law enforcement.”
Lord Melbourne leaned back on the sofa, pondering for a moment before saying, “Perhaps that’s exactly what he wants.”
Brougham, savoring the wine, raised his glass and observed the clear liquid within, “What do you mean? I actually have some connection with Arthur. You might not know this, but he was one of the first graduates of our University of London. And from the looks of it, he might be the most outstanding graduate we’ve had so far.
He’s doing a brilliant job at Scotland Yard, just like he did at school. You might only know about his achievements after joining the police force, but I must tell you honestly, Arthur was awarded the Academic Merit Scholarship every year while he was at school.”
Brougham’s words practically shouted, “I like Arthur Hastings!”
Lord Melbourne understood his future cabinet colleague’s sentiment. He laughed and said, “Mr. Brougham, I certainly don’t doubt Officer Hastings’ abilities. His achievements in the newspapers and this research report demonstrate his commitment to upholding public interests.
However, you might not know that Officer Hastings was also at the Almack Club recently. I had a brief chat with him, and he mentioned that he felt a bit tired of his current work. He said that playing the piano sometimes is quite enjoyable.
Most importantly, I heard from my lovely sister that Officer Hastings has accepted an invitation from the London Philharmonic Society to become the pianist and conductor of their third orchestra.”
“This…” Brougham was taken aback by the news. John Mill had not shared this information with him.
But soon, he connected the dots and said, “Young people have their new ideas, especially someone like Arthur who is so capable. If he’s unhappy with his work, it’s natural for him to look for a change, because even if he’s not a police officer, he still has many other options. But losing him would be a tremendous loss for the British public.”
Lord Melbourne was seeking Brougham’s help, so naturally, he wouldn’t contradict him. Besides, he didn’t intend to do so. After all, Arthur had just agreed to buy a gramophone for Lady Norton, and their initial encounter had left a good impression on him.
Lord Melbourne suggested, “Even if he wants a new challenge, there’s no need to leave the government. And I think if Officer Hastings can do his job well, playing music part-time shouldn’t be a problem.”
Brougham was delighted to hear Lord Melbourne so readily agree with his idea.
At that moment, Lord Melbourne added, “I believe Officer Hastings’ request to establish a police prosecution service is entirely reasonable. Perhaps we can establish an investigative committee in the House of Commons. If everything checks out, I suggest a unified prosecution department jointly established by the Home Office and the Lord Chancellor’s Office.
After all, this prosecution department involves both law enforcement and legal work. The combined efforts of the two departments will significantly boost the development of this department. As for the leadership of this department… I think the head position could be held concurrently by the Attorney General, or we can recruit a senior King’s Counsel from the British Bar Association. The deputy position, responsible for coordinating the prosecution department with the police department, would need a young officer with a deep understanding of police work, strong work ethic, and a commitment to public interests.”
Lord Melbourne’s words practically named the deputy position.
However, Brougham didn’t immediately express his delight. Instead, he was taken aback by the sudden concession.
Lord Melbourne’s previous statement essentially handed over the jurisdiction of the new department to the Lord Chancellor’s office.
After all, whether it was the Attorney General or a King’s Counsel holding the head position, they were all appointed by the Lord Chancellor.
If Arthur became the deputy, his unimpressive London University graduate resume would mean something completely different in the eyes of Brougham, the founder of the University of London.
As the first graduate of the London University History Department, with Academic Merit Scholarships and consistently topping his classes, these achievements, combined, represented a sterling pedigree, even more esteemed than Brougham’s own direct subordinates, the Attorney General and King’s Counsel. It was a genuine London University flag, a true blue-blood.
While Brougham didn’t know Chinese idioms, he understood the principle of “if someone is overly helpful, there’s something fishy going on.”
With a smile, he set down his glass and didn’t immediately agree, instead asking, “You mentioned earlier that you wanted to talk about something with me as friends. What exactly is it about?”
Lord Melbourne, hearing the other party’s initiative, stopped hiding his intentions.
“Do you know Mr. George Norton from the Tory Party? He’s currently considering leaving the Tories and returning to being a lawyer. As his good friend, I’m delighted to see him make this change. So, knowing your connections and your role as the President of the British Bar Association, I’d like to ask you, could you recommend a suitable position for him?”
Brougham, hearing this, let out a laugh and took out a pen and paper, leaning back on the sofa, “Does Mr. Norton have any specific requirements?”
Lord Melbourne, with a smile, refilled his glass, “He now has a family and can’t travel too far, so somewhere near London would be best. He also has children, and daily expenses are high, so an annual salary of over a thousand pounds should be sufficient. And also…”
(To be continued)